Grayson County TXGenWeb

The Denison Herald
Tuesday, July 12, 1921

FIND BODY OF DENISON MAN ON CHOCTAW CREEK
Mystery in Death of John Moore, 1127 W. Crawford St.

DEAD SINCE SUNDAY
French Army Automatic Pistol is Found Near Body

Mystery surrounds the death of James Moore, 1127 W. Crawford street, whose bullet-pierces body was found late Monday evening, half buried in the ooze of the bank of Choctaw Creek, near Terrace, 8 miles southeast of Denison. Two farmers who live in that vicinity discovered the body.

DEAD SINCE SUNDAY, BELIEF
From all indications Moore had been dead since Sunday afternoon. He was found at the edge of a wooded district in a small cleared space. Nearby and half-hidden in a thicket a French make army automatic pistol .32 caliber was found.
No signs of a struggle were visible. It was pointed out that should there have been a struggle the signs would have been wiped out by the heavy rain that fell Sunday night.
Moore up to a few days ago was employed as a night watchman at the Katy timber treating plant in west Denison. He had been a faithful employe for 2 years, it was stated, and was known among his friends and neighbors as a quiet, unassuming man. He was formerly a farmer and at one time resided on the land where his body was found yesterday. Five years ago Moore and his family resided on the farm where he met his death. The home and furnishings were burned while the family were away, it was said. The fire was said to have been from incendiary origin. After the fire the family moved to Denison.
County officers, with Judge James Moreland, were called to the place where the body lay to view the body, and it was later brought to the Shield's morgue in Denison where it was found one bullet had pierced the heart and passed entirely through the body.

INTENDED RETURNING TO FARM
The dead man, being out of employment, it is said, had mentioned that he intended to return to farming, and while it is not definitely known, it is believed he went to the old home place Sunday afternoon to look over prospects for locating there again and where he later met his death by means yet undetermined.
Immediately after the body reached Denison relatives of the dead man were located. The wife, a boy about 4 years, and daughter about 11 years. with the father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. W.M. Moore, 930 Morgan street, came to the morgue to view the remains.

DADDY WOULDN'T WAKE UP
As the body lay on the marble slap and many people gathered in the place to view the remains, the family shoved through the crowd and many a tear-dimmed eye turned from the scene as the 4-year-old boy, in surroundings entirely new to him, called to his "daddy" to wake up. The family, suddenly thrown into the greatest sorrow by the tragedy, was unable to discuss the death. They were sure, however, that Moore was the victim of foul play.
Judge James Moreland began this morning to take the evidence in the death of Mr. Moore. C.E. Talley, a farmer residing near where the dead man was found, and T.R. Booe, another farmer, testified that they were walking along the banks of Mill Creek near Choctaw when they came upon the body of a many lying face upward with a revolver lying near his body. They saw the man was dead and immediately reported the find to Denison officers.
A .32 caliber French army make automatic was found near the body with one shell exploded and thrown from the magazine. The empty shell was not found. Sheriff Boyd Craig came to Denison this morning to assist other county officers on the case. Judge Moreland will render his verdict in a few days he says.
Funeral arrangements for the deceased have not been completed on account of awaiting answers to telegrams from relatives out of town.

The Denison Herald
Wednesday, July 13, 1921
pg. 1

MOORE WAS SEEN IN DENISON SUNDAY AFTERNOON, CLAIM
Death of Man Found on Choctaw Creek Remains a Mystery

The only new information received in the mysterious death of James Moore, whose body was found Monday afternoon near Choctaw creek by 2 farmers with a bullet hole piercing his left breast, was gained this morning by Judge James Moreland, who is taking testimony in the case. A man appeared before Judge Moreland informing him that he was certain that Moore attended a lodge meeting held in Denison Sunday afternoon.
It was that that Mr. Moore left his home early Sunday morning and the statement that he was in Denison Sunday afternoon would indicate that he must have left the city late Sunday evening for the farm east of the city. The condition of his body indicated he had been dead from 18 to 24 hours, and if it is proven he was in the city Sunday afternoon, then he must have been transported to the spot where found dead, as he could not have walked the 8 miles from the time he was said to have been seen in Denison until dark.
Officers are now trying to find who the dead man rode with, if he did ride to a point near where his body was found, and they will also check up freight trains that may have left Denison during Sunday afternoon to ascertain if he rode a train to Terrace, a sidetrack near where the tragedy was enacted.
Judge Moreland will withhold his decision of the inquest until the case has been thoroughly worked out, he said this morning.
Funeral services for deceased were held from the home, 1127 W. Crawford street, at 4 o'clock this afternoon with interment following in Oakwood Cemetery.

The Denison Herald
Sunday, July 17, 1921
pg. 7

MOORE CAUSED HIS OWN DEATH, VERDICT
"Either by Accident or on Purpose," Judge Holds

"James Moore came to his death by a gunshot wound in the left breast, near the heart, by his own hand, either by accident or on purpose."
That was the verdict Judge James Moreland rendered Saturday morning in the death of James Moore, the man found last Monday afternoon near the banks of Choctaw creek east of Denison, with a bullet wound in his left breast.
The case has been thoroughly investigated and the verdict rendered according to circumstances surrounding Moore's death, th justice stated.
Moore was found about 2 o'clock Monday afternoon by 2 farmers. He was lying face upward in a clear spot near Choctaw creek and had been dead over 18 hours, it was claimed. He had left his home here Sunday to go east of the city, for the purpose of looking into a farm proposition. He had been employed by the Katy railroad as night watchman at the timber treating plant and had been an efficient employe, according to fellow workmen.